Improvement in rock-drills



2 Sheets--Sheet 1 H. C. SE'RGEANT. l Rock Drill. No. 202,060. PatentedApril 2, 1,878.4

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si f M11/0 51 f' Nif A H. C. SERGBANT.

. Rook Drill. No. 202,060. Patenvfed April 2, 1878.-

Wflzesses': Invader 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

l'UNrrEn STA'rEsPATEN'r OEEIcE.

HENRY c. sEiGEANr,

on NEw YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN ROCK-DRILLS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 202,060, dated April 2,1878; application filed January 2, 1878. i

To all whom it may concer/n:

Be it known that I, HENRY C. SERGEANT, of New York, in the county of NewYork and State of New York, have invented ycertain new and usefulImprovements in Rock-Drills; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description. thereof, which will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and useI thesame, reference. being had to the accompanying drawings, and to lettersof reference markedV thereon, which form a part of this speciiication- 1Figure l being a front elevation of my improved machine, showing theadjustable tripod, the guides for the cylinder to move upon, thecylinder in position, the feeding-screw, and the drill. Fig. 2 is asectional elevation, showing the cylinder, the piston and its rod, thefeeding-screw, having upon its lower endva tluted portion for rotatingthe drill, and the automatically-operating valve, with a rod passing ythrough its center, and the steam-ports, for the induction and eductionof steam. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on line a b of Fig. 2, andshowing, also, the flanges upon the lower end of the cylinder throughwhich the guide-rods pass. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the cylinder, withthe valve-chest removed, showing the induction andv eduction ports. Fig.5 is an under-side view of the steam-chest, showing the form anddirection of the eduction-ports and the induction-ports; and Fig. 6 is aside elevation of the machine, showing the rear leg of the tripod,

and the manner of arranging the same so as to give the requisite angleto the drill.

Corresponding letters denote like parts in all of the figures. v Thisinvention relates t0 that type of rockdrills which are propelled bysteam, gas, or compressed air, and in which the cylinder and drill arefed up to the work by hand; and it consists in certain devices andcombinations and arrangements thereof, as will Abe more fully explainedhereinafter.

In machines of this character many things are necessary to theireffective operation, some of which may beenumerated as follows First, itis important that the tripod and guides, or frame upon which'thecylinder moves, should be so constructed and arranged that they mayshould be so constructed that it shall be automatic in its movements,and that such` movements shall be caused by the action of steam or airentering the chest without any connection by rods or other mechanicaldevices with any of the moving partsof the machine.

The improvements herein described are 'intended to accomplish all of theabove-named results.

In constructing machines of this character, I employ a tripod,consisting of two fixed legs, A A, which, at their upper ends, are rmlysecured to the cross-head of the machine, and one adjustable leg, A,which is pivoted to said cross-head, as shown in Figs. 2 and 6, all ofsaid legs being tubular throughout the greater portion of their length,in order that they may receive into their lower portions rods A2, ofsteel or other suitable metal. These rods are adjustable vertically inthe tubular legs, and are held in position by means of set-screws A3,which pass'through collars A4 upon the ends ofthe tubes A and A1, andalso through said tubes, and thus the operator is enabled to raise orlower the operating mechanism, as circumstances may require.

Upon the leg A1 there is placed an arm, A5, which may be secured theretoby a set-screw,

lor in any other adjustable manner, so that it may be moved up and downthereon, through one end of which arod, A6, passes, or to which it ispivoted, as shown in Fig. 6, so that the lower end of leg Al may beplaced at a greater or less distance from the points of support of thelegs A, by which means the angle of the drill can be readily adjusted.In making provision for moving the cylinder and drill toward and awayfrom :the rock to be drilled there are attached to the crosshea'd B, towhich the legs of the tripod are attached, guide-rods Bl B2, which aresecured rmly to said cross-head by nuts or other suitable fastenings,and which extend to` and are secured in a yoke, B3, which is attached tothe tubular portions of legs A A near their lower ends. These rods areparallel with the aXis of the cylinder, and form the guides upon whichit moves in being carried toward or away from the work which is beingdone.

The cylinder C, which is used in this type of machines, has projectingllanges C1 at its ends, through which the guide-rods Bl B2 pass, asshown in Figs. 1, 3, and 4. It also has, at or near its center, a seatfor a steam-chest, and it is provided with induction and eduction ports,as shown in Fig. 4, those lettered C2 being the induction-ports to themain cylinder, and that lettered O3 being the eductionport of the same,while those lettered C4 G5 are the eduction-ports of the valve-cylinder.The steam-chest D is made to cover these ports, and has leading from itsvalve-seat corresponding openings, the central one, D3, communicatingwith the eduction-passage C3 in the cylinder, while those lettered D2communicate with the induction-passages C2 C2.

In addition to the ports in the steam-chest already referred to, ithasformed in it eductionports D4 and D5, as shown in Fig. 5 of thedrawings, said ports serving as eduction-ports for the piston-valve,which moves in a cylinder formed in the steam-chest.

The valve which I employ for operating this type cf machines is ofpeculiar construction, it being shown in section in Fig. 2 of thedrawings, and lettered E.

It will be seen that this valve is cylindrical in form, it havingprojecting anges at its ends, said flanges being enough smaller than theinterior of the cylinder in which it moves to allow sufficient s team topass them from the reduced portion at its center to move the `same fromend to end of its cylinder `as the steam is exhausted from the endsthereof, as

`will soon be described.

That' portion of this valve which is in contact with the inner surfaceof the cylinder, or which is nearest to the main cylinder, has aprojection formed upon its central portion, which is provided with acavity, E1, which, in

operation, registers with the ports C3 of the cylinder and D3 of thesteam-chest, and so forms the eduction-passage for the steam whichoperates the main piston of the machine. The smaller ports on eitherside of the exhaust-port El, just alluded to, are induction ports, andwhen the machine is in operation register alternately with the ports D2of the chest and Cz of the cylinder. In order that the valve E may bemade of such diameter as to allow the steam which operates it to passfrom the smaller portion in the central portion thereof` to its ends,and still be retained in working contact with its cylinder, a rod orbolt, E, is passed through its center in the direction of its line ofmovement, upon which said valve slides and by which it is to some extentguided, the bolt also serving as a means .of holding the heads of thevalve-cylinder in steam-tight contact therewith. To prevent the valve Efrom being broken and from breaking the heads of the cylinder in whichit works, cushions E4 are placed in each end of the cylinder and aroundthe rod, as shown in Fig. 2, by which the movements -of the valve arearrested at each terminus of its stroke without any jarring or otherinjurious effect.

The main piston of this type of machines may be formed of steel,wrought-iron, or of any other suitable metal, and mayhave formed upon orattached to one of its ends a rod which is to pass through one of thecylinderheads and carry upon its outer end a clamp for holding thedrill. The drawings show a piston, F, which, it will be observed, is ofsufficient length to admit of there being formed at its center a cavity,F1, of 'such a length that when the piston has reached the terminus ofVits stroke in either direction said cavity will still register with theports C4 and C5 leading from the steamchest, and thus allow the steamfrom the valve to be exhausted' therein. The, ends of this piston are ofsuch diameter as to nearly ill the bore of the cylinder, and areprovided with packing-rings of any approved form, to prevent the passageof the steam from the ends of said cylinder to the cavity in the centerof the piston. To one end of the piston above referred to there isattached a rod, F2, which extends outward to any desired distance,passing through one of the cylinder-heads, which is provided with astuffing-box and gland for the purpose of packing said rod, upon theouter end of which there is secured a clamp, F3, for holding a ldrill,F4, which clamp is held in position `by means of a socket andscrew-thread, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. This clamp has uponits outer end ears or flanges, through which bolts are passed for thepurpose of causing it to clasp the shank of the drill, it having a slitformed in it, as shown in Fig. 3,

forthe purpose of making it capable of such action. j

The end of the piston which is opposite to the one to which the rod F2is attached has an aperture formed in it, which may receive ya socket,F5, to be screwed therein, the interior surface of which is luted orcorrugated, 'as shown inFi g. 3, it being for the reception of a ilutedrod, G, for rotating the drill. This rod extends into the upper head ofthe cylinder, at which point it is provided with a collar, L, whichworks in a recess formed in said head, and by which it is prevented fromhaving any vertical movement. That portion of this rod which is outsideofthe cylinder-head has ascrewthread formed upon it, which passes upthrough the yoke B, or through a nut fixed therein, and has its outerend provided with a crank, by the turning of which the screw will berotated, and with it the piston and drill,`and atthe same time thecylinder and drill will be fed up to the work.

To prevent injury to the piston or cylinder, and to prevent shocks andjars upon the whole structure, cushions H H are placed in each end ofthe cylinder, which are composed of rubber or some other elasticmaterial capable of resisting the action of the steam, their inner facesbein g covered with aplate of metal, if preferred.

The operation of the valve, piston, and drill will be as follows: Theparts being arranged for operation, steam, gas, or compressed air, fromany suitable reservoir for retaining the same under pressure, isadmitted to the steamchest through the opening in its side,- and passesdirectly to the cavity formed between the two anges on the ends of thevalve. If at this stage of the operation the' valve is .placed at oneend of its cylinder, the steam will be exhausted from its opposite end,and thus the resistance to its movement in that direction will beremoved, when steam will rush past the flange nearest to the end of itscylinder and shoot or force the valve in the opposite direction, itsmovement being controlled by the cavity in the main piston, it being ofsuch a length as to prevent said valve from being shifted in theopposite direction until the main piston has reached the end, or nearlythe end, of its stroke, when it will uncover the exhaust-port of thevalve-cylinder in which the steam is confined, and the steam containedtherein will pass into one of the ports D4 or D5, and thence to theopposite end of the chest, from which it will pass, through the port C4or G5, to the cavity in the piston. By this arrangement the valve ismade to move automatically, and is controlled, as to the times of Vitsmovement, with reference to the main piston, by said piston, and withouthaving any mechanical connection therewith.

Having thus described my invention, whatI claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent,

1. In a rock-drill, the combination of an adjustable tripod, anadjustable cylinder supported upon said tripod, and guide-rods forgiving direction to. said cylinder, substantially as set forth.

2. A cylindrical sliding valve, having its ends of slightly lessdiameter' than the bore of the cylinder in which it moves, incombination with a rod which passes through the center of said valve,thereby guiding the same and presenting a wearing-surface therefor,substantially as set forth.

3. The combinationof a valve for controlling the ingress and egress ofsteam, a bolt passing-through the center of said valve, a steam-chest,and cushions for receiving the valve at the end of its stroke.

4. The combination and arrangement of the steam-ports C* and G5, D4 andD5, for regulating:- the exhaust of steam' from the ends of anautomatically-operating valve, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination and arrangement of the exhaust-ports D4 and D5,cavity F in the body of the piston, and ports G4 and C5, substantiallyas and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

HENRY CLARK SERGEANT.

Witnesses:

l J oHN W. PILLnvG, v

G. M. CONNELL.

